Protect Life Act

The Protect Life Act () is a bill introduced to the 112th United States Congress in the House of Representatives by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA). The bill has 121 co-sponsors, including 6 Democrats. It would make several amendments to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The bill was initially referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health, of which Pitts is the ranking majority member. The committee approved it 33 to 19.
Provisions
*Ban the use of federal funds to cover any costs of any health care plan that covers abortions. (This would extend previous restrictions on abortion coverage, which currently ban the use of federal funds for abortion and require federal funds and abortion-related funds to be kept separate.) Require the Office of Personnel Management director to make sure no health plans that fall under the Exchange cover abortions.
*Require any entity offering, through a federal exchange, a health care plan that covers abortions to also offer an otherwise identical one that does not cover abortions.
* against health care providers who refuse to undergo, require, provide, or refer for training to perform abortions.
*Allow remedies to be sought in court for violations of PPACA abortion provisions.
These provisions match those included in an amendment to the PPACA adopted by the House in 2009 but not included in the final language.
Floor debate
During the House of Representatives floor debate, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) described her experience of a miscarriage that necessitated a therapeutic abortion, saying "I was pregnant, I was miscarrying, I was bleeding...If I had to go from one hospital to the next trying to find one emergency room that would take me in, who knows if I would even be here today." Pro-choice organizations including NARAL Pro-Choice America, the National Abortion Federation, and the Center for Reproductive Rights stated that the bill would allow hospitals to deny women abortions necessary to save their lives in cases where continuing the pregnancy would kill them.

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